Sports fans looking to watch Premier League football for free by using a ‘dodgy’ firestick risk giving their bank details to criminals, experts have warned.
Intellectual property lawyer Samuel O’Toole told MailOnline that as well as the legal jeopardy illegal streamers face, they also welcome an organised crime gang into their home via the device.
Networks of gangs across the country offer firestick logon details with ‘unlimited live channels’ for as little as £40, compared with around £100 a month if someone wants Sky and Discovery+ channels along with movies and other extras.
Mr O’Toole of Briffa said: ‘A good analogy is that you are inviting a fox into the hen house. Your computers and tablets contain sensitive data.
‘You might use them for online banking or shopping.’
Criminals can access your home computer network through the ‘dodgy’ devices, and the lawyer added that such gangs cannot be trusted with your data.
People who watch sport via ‘dodgy’ Amazon fire sticks are doing the equivalent of ‘inviting a fox into the hen house’ according to experts
Criminal gangs can use the ‘jailbroken’ devices to gain access to your home computer network
An industry security expert told MailOnline: ‘Personal information, including credit card details, can be harvested by these rogue platforms, making users vulnerable to identity theft and fraud’
An industry security expert told MailOnline: ‘Unauthorised IPTV services often operate without proper security measures, exposing users to serious data breaches and cyberattacks.
‘Personal information, including credit card details, can be harvested by these rogue platforms, making users vulnerable to identity theft and fraud. The data collected may be sold on the dark web, putting individuals’ privacy at risk.’
Engaging with illicit streaming platforms, like streaming devices, can also open up users to malicious software and viruses which can both damage devices and compromise online security.
Some gangs who run streaming services will deliberately infect rivals’ platforms with malware to discourage users and hope they land on their own offering.
On a practical level, the quality of stream is also likely to be suboptimal, with ‘constant buffering issues and frequent service interruptions’.
Mr O’Toole also warned sports and movie fans trying to work around the various licensing fees encompassed by subscription packages that they could lose their homes if sued for copyright theft, or incur significant jail sentences.
‘This is not a “victimless crime”,’ he said.
‘If someone is using a “jailbroken” firestick, they are infringing copyright by viewing content without paying the appropriate licence fee.
‘Copyrighted material is personal property. It was created and owned by someone and cannot be used without their permission.’
According to Mr O’Toole, breaching copyright is similar to walking into a local convenience store and stealing Mars bars from the counter.
‘Sky is a big corporation. But the copyright owners can only create good content if they are suitably rewarded for their efforts.
‘It is also the law-abiding citizen who is losing out by people illegally streaming content. Sky and other service providers might be in a position to reduce their fees if everyone paid their way.’
People breaching copyright law can face prosecution in either the civil or criminal courts depending on the nature and extent of the offence.
In May 2023, a gang of five men running a £7m illegal streaming network were jailed for more than 30 years after their operation was busted.
According to the UK Film Council, they estimate that the loss to the film and television industry could be more than £400 million a year.
And Mr O’Toole believes that without an incentive, creators will no longer produce quality content, meaning everyone ends up poorer.
‘If a case goes to a criminal court you could end up with a 10-year prison term. That is a significant penalty.
‘That would be for criminal gangs, the bigger fish and not someone streaming at home. Prison terms will be for people making money out of stealing copyright.
‘Although, the copyright holder could take a home streamer to the Intellectual Property and Enterprise Court. There you could pay £60,000 in costs and if you lose you will pay the other side’s costs and compensation as well.
‘Companies will see if the infringer has money and assets before taking such a case. Pubs and other businesses illegally streaming content can be at risk of this.
‘Pubs and clubs illegally streaming live sports events are at risk of this as the copyright holder will be able to secure a judgement against them for a sum of cash.’
According to Mr O’Toole, this could potentially put someone’s home at risk in the most serious cases.
‘If Sky or another copyright holder sued and secured a judgement for £100,000, they could then seek an order against property or other assets, so it is possible you could lose your house.’
